A short walk to the memorial of the man who predicted his death....Bennan

Hill: Bennan

Category: Sub2k

Height: 385m

Yet again my original plan was for a big walk today but my troubled Achilles was still sensitive so opted for a short and easy new Sub2k.

Last nights weather forecast said that ‘a high’ would keep the poor weather out in the Atlantic. Somebody never told Dumfries & Galloway. As I drove down the weather gods were not playing ball as the clouds got lower and lower, grey to black and spots of rain on the windshield.

Start with Bennan top visible to right of sign

Once again I headed into deepest Galloway's single track D roads and a lovely drive it is. From miles away I spotted the monument on top of Bennan.

GPS got me right to my parking spot where as I emerged a fair old breeze was blowing, no sun tan lotion required. The inevitable Red Kite flew over, no problems with their numbers down here.

The walk is signposted to the monument but in the past was a full on moorland crossing. Times have changed. The local estate have bulldozed tracks throughout the landscape one of which twists and turns its way almost to the top.

Estate track to top

I wanted an easy walk but not this easy. In fairness with the weather lowering my motivation I just took the easy option.

Plenty of meadow pipit family groups around with the odd skylark but not much else. Too cold and windy.

Large cairn for small hill

Still enough was enough so tramped into the heather and moor and headed for a decent sized cairn. Why this is there can only be a guess, a memorial to a shepherd or farmer?

Memorial now in view

There are a few sheep tracks to follow but this is easy walking.

Now the real memorial is reached and it is as big as I thought when spotted from miles away. 

Cairnsmore of Fleet

The story of the memorial to John Turner is an amazing tale of the man who predicted his death!! I have included this link if you are interested and it is worth a read.

Impressive memorial

https://www.dunscore.org.uk/johnnie-turner-sp-118.html

Despite the minimal effort there are really good 360deg views from up here.

Looking south: Dumfries on your left, Criffel and the Solway behind with the English coast also in sight but not the Lake District hills. 

Durisdeer Hills

Turn a bit and Cairnsmore of Fleet off to the right. Turn a bit more and the Carsphairn hills, a bit more Wanlockhead and Durisdeer hills. In addition the nearby local farming countryside, definitely a nice spot.

If you want the sound of silence this is perfect, the odd birdsong and farm animals and that was it, no traffic noises, excellent.

Solway and Criffel in distance on right

Headed back down the same way taking in the view. Flushed a buzzard out of the heather, did not see it go in or if it had some prey. Achilles still the same but still have a weeks recovery before the real stuff begins to make the most of what's left of this season.

Wildlife: Red Kite; Buzzard; Meadow Pipit; Skylark.

Time: 1.12

Ascent: 256m

Distance: 4.1k